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Man dies attempting to swim across intracoastal waterway in Deerfield Beach

Posted at 2:34 PM, Sep 10, 2016
and last updated 2016-09-10 17:57:12-04

DEERFIELD BEACH, Fla. -- A Fort Lauderdale man died Friday morning while attempting to swim across the intracoastal waterway in Deerfield Beach.

The Broward County Sheriff's Office says 46-year-old Jill Donovan and 39-year-old Deondrae Hall were hanging out behind a condo at 261 NE 19 Avenue  after 8 a.m. when they decided to swim across the intracoastal to Deerfield Island Park.

Donovan was first into the water, with Hall following. As Donovan reached the island and went ashore, she noticed Hall about midway across the waterway, struggling and screaming for help.

She attempted several dives to locate her friend but was unsuccessful.

Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue crews arrived and began surface water rescue efforts. Divers searched for about an hour before recovering his body.

It is thought that Hall apparently drowned, but BSO Homicide Unit detectives as well as the Broward County Medical Examiner's Office are conducting a death investigation and will release the cause of death in the near future.